ABC Producer's Widow Accepts Press Freedom Award

NEW YORK (AP) _ ABC producer David Kaplan, who was killed by a sniper's bullet in August while working in war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina, has been honored with a posthumous Press Freedom Award.

The award, presented by former Middle East hostage Terry Anderson on behalf of the Committee to Protect Journalists, was accepted at a black-tie dinner Wednesday night by Kaplan's widow, Sally.

Kaplan, 45, a producer for ABC-TV's ''Prime Time Live,'' was working with correspondent Sam Donaldson when he was shot Aug. 13 on a trip to Sarajevo.

The Committee to Protect Journalists was founded in 1981 in defense of the rights of journalists worldwide.

Other honors presented Wednesday included the Burton Benjamin Award for lifetime achievement, given to Katharine Graham, who chairs the board of The Washington Post Co.

Cited for courage displayed on behalf of press freedom were: Sony Esteus of Radio Tropic FM in Haiti; Gwen Lister, co-founder of The Namibian and the Media Institute for Southern Africa; Muhammad al-Saqr of Kuwait, editor in chief of Al-Qabas; and Thepchai Yong of Thailand, an editor with The Nation.